Sunderland mum stole £138,000 from employers over period of five years

Emma Adamson used her position as senior cashier at construction firm USL Sealant Group in Sunderland to help herself to company money over a period of five years.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Adamson started at the firm in 2015 and began stealing 11 months later.

Prosecutor Emma Dowling told the court: "By virtue of her position she had access to all company bank accounts and was able to transfer money directly from the company account to her own bank account."

Miss Dowling said over the course of five years, Adamson regularly transferred money to her own accounts, or accounts she had access to and had initially started with small sums.

She added: "It was £129 to £700 in 2016, for the first few months one transaction a month or so but as the theft went undetected the transactions increased in frequency.

"By 2019 it had settled down to more or less a payment per month but the amounts were significantly higher. The highest single transaction was £3,586."

The court heard by May 2021, Adamson had transferred a total of £138,102.32 into her own accounts.

She was caught when one transaction was flagged up as suspicious by one of the banks and an investigation was launched.

Adamson, 44, of Baltimore Avenue, Sunderland, admitted what she had done as soon as she was confronted and pleaded guilty to theft.

The court heard due to the loss of money, the company's accounting system was moved to India 12 months earlier than originally planned.

This resulted in three full time staff members being made redundant sooner than anticipated and employees on target-related bonuses did not get their full payments last year.

Jamie Adams, defending, said Adamson, who has never been in trouble before and submitted character references, has physical and mental health problems, which directly affected her behaviour at the time of the offences.

Mr Adams added: "She is utterly ashamed of it all, for the loss she brought to the company and also for the humiliation she has brought upon herself."

Mr Adams said Adamson, who was "buying things she didn't need" but was not living a "luxury lifestyle", immediately admitted what she had done when she was confronted and is remorseful for it.

Judge Edward Bindloss jailed Adamson for 20 months.

The judge said: "Within 11 months, from February 2016, you started stealing from them on a regular basis and this went on for five years.

"At first you were taking relatively small amounts but by the end it was larger sums.

"You were in a trusted position, you had access to all company bank accounts as chief cashier."

The judge said he accepted Adamson's remorse was genuine and she had significant mitigation but added this was a "very serious case of its type".

Prosecutors have now launched proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act to seize any assets Adamson has and get the stolen money back.